Brand
Ugo De Rosa, born in Milan in 1934, apprenticed at 13 and opened his own shop in Milan in 1953. Raphaël Géminiani asked him for a Giro bike in 1958, Faema was the first team on his frames in the 1960s, and in 1973 he became frame builder and mechanic for Eddy Merckx's Molteni team. Their bikes won the 1974 Giro, Tour and World Championship, and the partnership lasted until Merckx retired in 1978. Francesco Moser won three Paris-Roubaix on De Rosas too. The heart logo dates from 1973, when holes drilled in the head lugs to save weight formed one, and it first rode on the G.B.C. team's bikes. The firm later moved to Cusano Milanino, and Ugo's sons joined in the 1980s. Every De Rosa was steel until 1991, so the classic road frames, the Super Prestige and then the Professional, are all lugged Columbus. There's no published serial guide, so collectors date them by tubeset, lugwork, decals and the parts' date stamps.
2 models we cover.
De Rosa
Columbus SL$1,870–$3,150 typical ask
4 on eBay
De Rosa
Columbus SL$1,520–$1,680 typical ask
3 on eBay